Living green
Introduction
Environmental problems or issues refer to the negative elements of
human activities on the environment. Some of the major environmental issues
include pollution, climate change, resource depletion and environmental
degradation (Carson p.22-25). It is currently evident that human beings
are living unsustainably due to the environmental problems. In order for this
to happen, natural resources must be used in such a rate that it is possible to
replenish. This has not been happening especially in the developing nations.
This has caused unprecedented poverty in these countries and taken a toll on
lives in these nations. In the past decade about 2.4 billion individuals were
affected by climate-related disasters, as compared to about 1.7 billion people
in the previous decade. The cost of responding to these disasters has gone up
tenfold from the year 1992 to the year 2008. There have been destructive
floods, serious topical storms and draughts. Unfortunately these effects are
felt more in the developing nations.
Thesis
statement: To help solve the global environmental challenges, people should
spend more time increasing the awareness of the significance of protecting the
planet that they live on, and they also should take the responsibility to take
care of the earth by doing ordinary things.
Analysis of the environmental
challenges
Environmental concern
has become a key issue allover the world. The modern day world has experienced
massive pollution and degradation of environment leading to a call for alarm to
change the situation. The field of politics and more so in the developed world
has not been spared by this issue and the candidates for elective positions are
supposed to state the policies they are going to put in place to end the crisis
of environmental pollution. Professionals in the environmental science field
can not afford even to wink when their field is being attacked by problems
left, right and center. Because of this, they have developed different
sub-fields and courses to recruit more people in the fight against
environmental degradation. In the list of the sub-fields is environmental
toxicology. Environmental toxicology is a sub-field of environmental science
that studies how exposure to contaminated chemicals can directly change the
health of persons and their atmosphere. Exposure to these lethal chemicals can
also have indirect effects for example affecting the flora and fauna, lakes,
and the ozone layer negatively (Leopold & Schwartzp.6). Of late we have noticed
changes in the climate for worst, forests turning into deserts, deep lakes
drying up and earthquakes which are stronger than any others that have been
experienced in history.
The soil which is the
main source of the food that we eat has not been spared, with environmental
toxicologists reporting rampant soil erosion resulting from acid rains (Leopold,
A. & Schwartzp.6). For many people, water is life but water is no longer
life but a cause of diseases and deaths. The effect of soil erosion coupled
with the industrial activities release heavy metals to our water sources
leading to contamination. Environmental
toxicologist researchers have found that the amount and effects of these
metallic elements are of high density and toxic to humans in even in negligible
doses (Omohundro, 70).Due to the contamination of water bodies, the aquatic
life has also suffered (Hansen.p31). For instance, the nitrogen,
carbon and phosphorous gases produced in our industries and later deposited to
the water bodies can be harmful to the animals and plants found in these
bodies. This has been proved to be the primary cause of the substantial fish
kills in the water bodies. This further affects human life since diet cannot be
complete without eating sea foods (Hansen.p31).
The
most alarming assaults on the environment by man have been pollution (Carson,
6). The pollution has lead to contamination in the air, rivers, earth and the
sea with lethal substances and materials. Air pollution violation dates back to
(Omohundro, 70) hence a major reason of concern. The major consequence of
pollution is irrecoverable as it does result to chain of events in the
environment. The tissues that do support life in the world are killed that is
the major results and leads to an irreversible results. In the environment the
major substances that pollute it are the chemicals which are the recognizable
partners of radiations in changing the very nature of the world (Carson, 6).
The major contributors of the pollutants are the industrial businesses which
are associated with the economic growth. The industrial world should be in the
forefront in advocating for eco-friendly disposal of effluents from their
industrial activities. Nuclear
explosions that are done by the military go to the air and do come down to the
environment as rain or drifts down as fallouts. They go to the extent that the
results affect the soil, grass, corn and also wheat which grow in the fields
and ending up in the human systems through the consumptions of the products
harvested. Through these the results of pollution is catastrophic as the
resulted chain of events ultimately affects the human race. This will lead to a
malnourished society, health problems and affect the climatic conditions. The
industrial world may turn out to disagree with this but the processes that they
initiate them ultimately affect the society. They should have a social responsibility
in enhancing the continuity and preservation of the environment as they are
also a major beneficiary of the environment.
Addressing environmental problems and other issues that affect life in
the developing nations will only be effective if they are addressed from these
countries’ perspective. This is through active involvement of the countries
that are affected by these problems. It is important that most of the
conventions held on environmental and related issues be held in the developing
nations in order to engage them. It is not enough for the developed nations to
address the issue of climate change in their own world while their industries
are moving to the developed nations and taking their operations with them (Masur
& Eric, 2011). They
carry on the environmental degradation and carbon emissions in these countries.
This means that if the problem is to be adequately addressed, there is need to
find ways to mitigate emissions and environmental degradation by the
multinational corporations. Additionally development of the multinational
corporations should not be done in such a way that benefits the home countries
only, while causing more problems to the host countries. This has always been
the case and need to be changed. International policies should be developed
such that they protect the developing nations from the devastating effects of
these companies. Failure to comply with the developed policies and protection
measures should lead to dismissal from the host countries. This way, the developing
nations will be protected from the economic selfishness of the
developed world.
Rockstrom
states that let the environment guide our development. This is as a result of
the human growth which is straining the earth’s resources. Rockstrom reminds us that through
our advanced science technology it has enabled us to be able to accept this and
change our behaviors as we do interact with the environment. This can be
achieved through adopting environmental friendly methods and putting the environment
first without having to conceal our vested interests first. As environmentalist
may tend to advocate for such issues the anti-environmentalists in the
industrial would be carrying fowl in relation to their business interests. His
research has been able to identify nine planetary boundaries that can enable us
in protecting our ecosystem. The earth is able to regulate itself but due to
the increasing activities by man it is disrupting it. The world is a natural
self sustaining system, for example the climates and seasons that are there
they do occur at certain intervals but as a result of the human activities it
has lead to alteration of the seasons and rise in the natural calamities.
Rockstrom efforts have lead scientists to be able to define the nine systems in
earth that need to be kept within bounds so as the earth to keep itself
balanced.
Williams (704) shows the
overwhelming complacency that today’s culture are showing towards nature.
Today’s culture is not in touch with nature as it does not take into account
the results of its activities to the environment are. If the nation does not
take into action the morals of the society regarding what the environment
contributes to the human race we will be heading to a dark future. The future
generation does depend on the environment too as we do if there was no
environment the current human race would not be in existence. Both the
environment and the economic growth are two important aspects in the existence
of man but we should try to find a way they should coexist. The economic growth
does depend on the environment for materials and so it does benefit so as it
also should create awareness for the benefit of the environment. The benefits
the industrial world should be reciprocated and enhanced in research of
development of new environmental friendly processes in their daily activities.
The human race has become greed and vanities and quest for
self-fulfillment have been catered to far too much (Williams, 704). As man what
to just reap big without taking into account the nature as no one believes the
repercussions that may rise.
The rise in economic
activities with the rapid increase in the population in the world has been a
major reason on the straining of the environmental resources. This has led to
the activities which lead to other chain actions polluting the environment at
the end. The ethical culture of not owning a farm to enhance nature has its
weaknesses. Owning one will make one understand what environmental importance
that lead to the availability of grocery and the influence of other
environmental elements such as heat (Leopold & Schwartz, 6). There will be
understanding that the environment does play a crucial role in the enhancement
of our daily lives. This will also enable us develop ethical behaviors in the
protection of the environment and its sustainability for also the generations
to come. Understanding the environment will make the society not to take it for
granted but to embrace and protect for the good of everyone (Williams p. 704).
The young people
have been associated with nature (Abate, 57). Young children are seen as
possessing the uncontaminated beauty, innocence as the environment. The
environmental theme on the young children often does challenge the belief of
the longstanding interaction. Instead of nature being seen as the refuge of the
young people it is now facing challenged such as pollution, overexploitation
and the extinction of other species. The green environment is under attack by
us the human’s and such messages not only contribute to the controversial
status and often resistant readership of the environmentally themed children’s
books. These leads to the impact among the young people in reexamining
themselves on their role, function and position in the prevailing conflict between
the adult civilization and unadulterated nature (Abate, 57). The problems
facing the environment does also affect the children hence the need to be
involved in the process of sustaining the environment. Both DR. Lorax and truax
do reflect the close connection between the children and nature (Abate, 57) and
their books does address the messages that should be addressed to the young
people concerning the environmental problems. Lorax does address the children
to take active role in the sustaining of the environment. It includes in the
challenges that the environment does face such as pollution and deforestation.
Children can be able to organize the environmental days where they could be
involved in the planting of trees and cleaning of the environment. Through these
developments of ethical values in the environment, it can lead to the
development of a concerned generation if future. It can lead to emphasize of
creating a pollution free environment and condemning the concerned parties to
avert such outcome.
The Lewis
anti-pollution law was introduced in 1941 because there wee the conflicting
issues on whether sewage or rural run-off was the culprit (Singer, 120). The
military needs of Trux field lead to the burke plant to reopen in 1942. The
effluent that by-passed the lakes at the time and there was the presence of
economic measures, false information from communications, inconclusive action
and lack of government and citizens hampered the progress of disposal. The fact
that copper sulfate treatment of the lake to curb the burgeoning algae growth
dropped from freight car is a proof of how sewage drainage can produce the
better without polluting the environment. The environment should be treated
with care as it is the main source of resource available. There should be
development of new eco-friendly processes and advocacy for use in the society.
This will enhance the peaceful coexistence between the human race and nature as
we can not without each other. The earlier we learn to balance the two the
better for the protection of our future (Singer p. 120).
With
commitment from all countries around the world, the Kyoto Protocol seems to be
an effective way of fighting global warming. A number of environmentalists have
supported the agreement in the view that it is expected that future commitments
to the reduction of emissions may come with a demand for serious measures. The
agreement is a small but crucial step towards the solution of global warming.
The World Bank reported that the protocol had a slight effect in fighting
global warming as per the year 2010. Despite the fact that the agreement was
initiated in 1997, by the year 2005, the emissions had gone up to 24 percent.
There is also very limited financial support to the developing nations in
assisting them to reduce emission and commit to climate change (Prins et. al,
2010).
The government is
putting a lot of effort to help reduce global warming. One of the efforts made
by the government was the passing and implementing the Clean Air Act to ensure
fewer emissions. This act requires companies to manufacture products that are
less harmful to the environment. There is a part of this law that states that
one should not put a particular amount of pollutants in the atmosphere
(Weartp.42). There were products such as hairsprays that had this problem.
Production and use of these products emitted a lot of volatile organic
compounds, O-zone destroying compounds and related gases into the atmosphere.
Currently the law has required that all these products have a label indicating
their effects to the environment. The law has also required car-manufacturing
firms to change some of the items inside a car. Motor vehicles are known to be
one of the chief polluting factors. They produce more than 50 percent of the
smoke worldwide. Many of the things that cars require to start and keep moving
produce a lot of pollution. Gasoline is a fossil fuel that produces a lot of
greenhouse gases when it is burned (Prins et. al, 2010).
One of the solutions
that individuals have sought in the efforts to deal with global warming is
carpooling. This is driving together if you are ended to the same place instead
of taking separate cars. This minimizes the emissions put into the atmosphere
by burning fossil fuel used by cars. The other things that people have been
encouraged to do is stop leaving items such as TV, computer and the lights
turned on. People are spending more time outdoors which means they are most of
the times away from the television and light. They might not know, but this is
a great help towards fighting global warming (Prins, G. et. alp.11). Many
people have realized the benefit of riding buses, walking and riding bikes as a
way of reducing global warming. Many people have been motivated to carry out
tree planting exercises. This is due to the fact that planting trees helps in
lowering the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Recycling has also been
encouraged as a way of dealing with global warming. When there is recycling,
less trash is thrown out and this means that less will be burnt. People have
also been encouraged to be careful on what they purchase. There are different
products that are manufactured without a lot of impact to the environment. With
limiting human activities that emit more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere,
both individuals and the community are involved in reducing global warming.
Where everyone takes the responsibility of reducing greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere there is the possibility of gaining a lot in the fight against
global warming (Prins et. al, 2010).
Conclusion
In order to effect the
change that is necessary to see the environment pollution free and sustainable
in all areas of development, it is very necessary that people find it in
themselves to be the agent of change. This is from the individual basis to the
governments and even to the country level. In any case, environmentalists have
little role to ply if their efforts and sensitization processes are falling on
deaf ears.
Works cited
Carson, R: Silent Spring; Houghton
Mifflin Harcourt, 2002 p.22-25
Rockstrom,
J.: presentation: Let the environment guide our development. https://www.ted.com/talks/johan_rockstrom_let_the_environment_guide_our_development.html
Leopold,
A. & Schwartz, C. W.: A Sand County Almanac, and Sketches Here and There
Outdoor Essays & Reflections; Oxford University Press, 1989 p.6
Abate,
M. A.: Raising Your Kids Right: Children's Literature and American Political Conservatism;
Rutgers University Press, 2010 p.57-58
Singer,
S. F.: Global Effects of Environmental Pollution: A Symposium Organized by the
American Association for the Advancement of Science, Held in Dallas, Texas,
December 1968; Springer, 1970 p. 120
Williams,J,2001,Save
the Whales, Screw the Shrimp p. 704
Omohundro,
E: Living In A Contaminated World: Community Structures, Environmental Risks,
and Decision Frameworks Ashgate Studies in Environmental Policy and Practice;
Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2004 p. 70
Hansen, J. Climate. Journal of Geophysical Research 107
(D18): 4347. 2002.p31
Prins, G. et. al. The Hartwell Paper - A new direction for
climate policy
after the crash of 2009. London
School of Economics.2010 p.11
Weart, S.The Carbon Dioxide Greenhouse Effect: The
Discovery of Global Warming,
American
Institute of Physics.2008.p.42
No comments:
Post a Comment